The Sacrifice
by The Third Marauder
Summary: Or was it? "He's done so much for me... and if this is a way to make him happy then I'll do it. He's worth it, Moony." How Sirius clears the path for James to love Lily. Sirius/James broship during the winter of 1975.


Disclaimer: I really wish I were JK Rowling, but I am not. Therefore, none of this belongs to me.

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_November 1975_

Sirius Black was bored.

As it happened, Sirius was often bored, but his usual quick fix solution seemed to have no affect. The Black heir supposed it was because the person trusted to remove his boredom was now the cause.

He heaved another loud sigh, hoping his best mate and co-leader of the Marauders would take the hint and stop glowering at the couple at the opposite end of the pub. Apparently, the fifth year Gryffindor to his right was otherwise preoccupied, for James Potter took another swig of his butterbeer and continued staring.

"Oh, for _Merlin's_ sake," Sirius muttered under his breath. "Prongs!"

No response.

"Prongs!" He called louder, forcing Peter, the third of their four member group, to look up from—was he playing with his _thumbs_? Sirius forced himself to ignore Peter's antics, which, on any other day, would have resulted in at least ten minutes of ribbing from the two raven-haired students

Had James been paying attention to Sirius' sighs, he would have noticed the obvious difference between the latest one and its precursors. Since he hadn't, however, the switch from sighs of boredom to exasperation went overlooked, which was possibly why Sirius' elbow to his stomach was so unexpected.

"_Bloody hell!_" The Gryffindor quidditch captain wheezed, hugging his arms tightly around himself as he doubled over. "_What _in Godric Gryffindor's name was _that_ for?" He groaned, attempting to steady his breath.

Sirius shrugged, smirking, "I needed your attention."

"_Normal_ people would call my name in a similar situation."

The chubby blond across the table frowned, "He did—"

"Shut up, Wormtail," James snapped, turning back toward his attacker. "All right, you have it—"

"Good!" Sirius exclaimed, grabbing his best mate's arm as he stood. "Let's go."

"Sorry," James yanked his arm out of his fellow fifth year's grip. "I'm _busy_."

"No. _No_! We are _not_ spending the rest of our Hogsmeade weekend spying on Marlene and her _date_. We've been following them all day, and I'm sick of it! It's nearly four, and we haven't even hit Zonko's yet," Sirius complained, his voice pleading.

But James had stopped listening, his gaze refocusing on Marlene McKinnon and the Ravenclaw prefect who'd made the mistake of asking a girl James Potter thought of as his sister to Hogsmeade.

Sirius let out a tenth sigh, one of a man who seemingly didn't want to do what he was about to, but secretly had been anticipating this moment all afternoon. "Prongs, if you don't follow me out that door, I am going to tell Marlene in _excruciating_ detail exactly what you've been up to all weekend."

James tore his hazel eyes from the couple snuggled into the booth. "You _wouldn't_."

"Wouldn't I?" Sirius challenged, his gray eyes sparkling.

"You wouldn't," James repeated, sounding even less sure than he had moments ago.

Sirius simply raised his right eyebrow, a trick James had wished he could perform ever since the handsome pureblood had first used it.

"But she'd—that discussion about trust—and then—"

"Exactly."

"You bastard."

Sirius grinned, "If only my family could be so lucky."

The eleventh sigh of the day was one of defeat, as James Potter slid from the booth and led Sirius and Peter out the door.

"What d'you think? Would Moony prefer a Honeyduke's product or something from Zonko's?" Peter inquired, trudging his way through the fresh thickets of snow.

"I know which one Madam Aldrin would prefer…" Sirius joked, trying to provoke a smile from James, who was glumly walking, his shoulders slumped and hands stuffed into his pockets, openly glaring at every couple on the village streets.

"It's not so bad, Prongs," Sirius consoled cheerfully. "It could be much worse. Marlene and Seymour could be in Madam Puddifoot's snog—" Sirius sentence was cut off, as James' shove sent him tumbling headfirst into a nearby snow bank.

* * *

_November 1975_

There was not much that could startle Sirius Black. There was even less that could frighten him. When Sirius rounded the corner that Thursday evening he saw something that did both.

He quickly moved back, announcing hastily, "We can't go this way."

"Why?" Remus Lupin, the fourth Marauder and Hogwart's resident werewolf, asked quizzically.

"Er… Pringle's blocked it off," Sirius lied, his hand slipping into his pocket and fingering his wand. "There's been some sort of potion spill, and the staff needs to clean it up."

"The potion's room is three floors down," Peter pointed out logically. Sirius internally cursed. Of course Peter would choose now to make a valid argument.

"Besides," James laughed, shouldering past his best mate, "when was the last time we listened to Pringle?"

"It's a really dangerous poison—" Sirius attempted, but by then it was too late. James had seen what was in the next corridor.

If it had been any other situation, Sirius might've laughed at the change of expression on the fifth year's face. Give it a couple of months, and Sirius could see this moment as becoming one of those 'Remember that time James did _this_'. But during that instant, not even Sirius would consider cracking a smile as James' mouth rounded into an 'O', his eyes' widening behind the glasses; this was almost instantly followed by anger with blood rushing to the pureblood's face. Far too much blood. It couldn't possibly be healthy for one's face to be _that_ red.

And then, almost instantaneously, two things happened. The recipient of James' fury, Joshua Seymour, saw the two Gryffindors at the end of the hallway and his face turned chalk white. At the same time, Sirius leapt forward, wrapping his arms around the Gryffindor quidditch captain's chest as James bellowed, "I'm going to kill him!"

By the time Remus and Peter had made it around the corner five seconds later, Marlene was stalking down the hall, her boyfriend timidly following. James was attempting to claw his way out of Sirius grip, and Sirius was thanking the powers that be that the muscular chaser in his arms had been weakened by the quidditch practice earlier that evening.

"Marlene," Sirius huffed, "now's not the—"

"Oh, I think now's perfect," she growled, her wand out. "Let him go."

"Are you mad? I thought you fancied Seymour, not wanted him dead!" Sirius drawled, doing his best to ignore the stream of expletives and threats coming from his best mate.

"I can't _believe_ you were _spying_!" Marlene steamed, her face red with anger.

"_Spying_?" James repeated incredulously, but relaxing against Sirius' hold. "We weren't spying."

"At least, not this time," Sirius muttered. Remus let out a quiet chuckle—he'd heard.

"What the hell do you think you were doing anyway?"

"Relax," she said coolly. "It's just a bit of snogging."

"_Just a bit of snogging_? He's—and you're—and you two—in _public_!" His voice cracked on the last word.

"Would someone like to explain the last five minutes to Peter and me?" Remus interjected impatiently.

"Marlene and Seymour were—"

"That bleeding toe-rag was shoving his sodding tongue down Mar's throat!" James declared loudly.

"—or you could put it that way," Sirius shrugged nonchalantly.

There was a pregnant pause as the other two Marauders ingested that. Then, Remus, ever the diplomat, questioned, "And _what_ about that is wrong?"

"It's—she's—" James was stumped. "She's only a fourth year!"

"Yeah, but her birthday's in September. She's only a couple weeks off—" Peter supplied helpfully.

"Doesn't matter. He's a fifth year—"

"His birthday's in August, Prongs. She's barely a month younger than him."

"Would you four please stop talking as if _I wasn't here_?" Marlene's teeth were gritted together. "And how do you know Josh' birthday—_I _don't even know his birthday!"

James looked at his feet guiltily. "I may have asked him to check Seymour's file…"

"You did _what_?"

Sirius waved off Marlene's indignant protest. "It's nothing."

"You call breaking into _Dumbledore's_ office and looking at a student's private information _nothing_?"

"It's not important!" Sirius insisted. "And it was perfectly safe—I've done it before—"

"This wasn't the first—?" Now Remus was involved.

"_Not important_!" Sirius stressed, reverting the conversation back to its original topic before Remus could continue that line of questioning. "Marlene's fifteen years old—the same age as you are Prongs—and two years older than you were when you first snogged a bird—"

"Exactly!" Marlene interrupted. "You're a bloody hypocrite, Potter. C'mon Josh. Let's go back to the tower." Marlene spun on her heels, and strode down the hallway. Seymour looked immensely relieved to be out of this situation and away from James' wrath.

"Oh, come off it," James tried to write it off, calling after her, "Marlene! It wasn't—I didn't mean—"

But finally, James was silent.

"Marlene's not going to thank you for messing this up for her," Remus inserted quietly. Peter nodded emphatically behind him.

"She's obviously happy with him," Sirius continued in turn. "I know you. In the end, you want what makes her happy, so let her do this."

"I _loath_ him."

"No one ever said you had to like him."

"If he initiates the split—"

"I'll be right behind you to hex him." There was an expectant pause, to which Sirius sighed, "And I'll make sure Moony helps."

"_What_!"

"Or, at least comes along," Sirius amended. A pause, then, "Let's go to the kitchens. I'm starving."

The other three fifth year Gryffindors stared for a moment, before filling the corridor with loud, boisterous laughter.

* * *

_December 1975_

"They've broken up." Sirius didn't think James' grin could have been any wider, as the bespectacled Gryffindor shut the dormitory door behind him and leaned up against it, eyes shut. "Marlene and Seymour got into a row this afternoon and she called it off."

"At least look _a little_ sad for her," Sirius said, sprawled atop his bed, propping up his elbows so his head could rest in them.

"Already pulled the brotherly comforting act…" a contented sigh, "Merlin, I haven't been this happy since we hexed Snivelus last week."

"Insensitive prat."

James' ignored the jibe, the ridiculous smile still in place. "Honestly, I feel like celebrating. Three Broomsticks? I'll buy."

Sirius considered the proposition for a moment before rolling out of bed. "Not like I'm doing anything else."

* * *

_December 1975_

"Hullo, Padfoot," James greeted sullenly, as the dark haired boy in question gracefully took the seat next to him. Sirius unconsciously arranged the hem of his fancy dress robes to avoid it from being crumpled.

"You look terribly bored, mate. I hate these functions as much as you do, but even you have to admit that some of these ladies are particularly beautiful today." Sirius winked flirtatiously at a brunette witch passing the two fifth years; the older witch rolled her eyes at the presumptuous teenagers before being joined at the arm by her date.

"That's the problem," James complained, his face in his hands.

"What's the matter? Have you caught the eye of too many girls?" Sirius joked, his gray eyes sparkling. While he knew he was better looking than his best mate, James' warm appearance was more approachable than his refined, aristocratic one, which made girls far more likely to choose the messy-haired Gryffindor.

"Not exactly." His hazel eyes glanced around the room from behind their thin metal frames, and his voice dropped into a whisper. "I think my parents are trying to get me to fancy Marlene."

"Marlene McKinnon?" Sirius had to force himself to lower his voice. His eyes found the beautiful brunette who was effortlessly dancing with the fifth year Ravenclaw prefect. "It's not a bad idea, actually."

James yelped protest came out as strangled words.

"No, listen… You two get along awfully well, you're both quidditch players, she enjoys all of our pranks, and her family adores you. Not to mention she's gorgeous." Sirius considered the fourth year Ravenclaw appraisingly. Although still growing, it wasn't difficult to see that she would easily become one of the most attractive girls at their school; her hair fell in a cascade of light waves, her eyes were a deep chocolate brown, and her slim, tanned figure maintained a healthy level of muscle from quidditch. "Besides, you've known her since you were children—"

"Exactly! She's like my sister! I love her like I love Josie. I don't—can't—see her that way." James swirled the contents of his goblet, before taking a small sip.

"Then what's the problem?"

"She didn't complain." The bespectacled boy's voice was pained.

"Sorry?"

"When Mum suggested that I come to the Ball with her, Marlene didn't say no. What if—what if she fancies me?"

"Tell her you don't."

James looked aghast at Sirius' suggestion. "I can't do that! Padfoot, you know I could never do anything that hurt her. If she wanted to do this, then I'd do it. It's that simple. I'd loath every minute of it, but I'd go through with it."

Sirius heaved an internal sigh. James may have projected a tough, careless air about him, but on the inside he was a loving pushover. James would do anything for the ones close to him, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness to do so.

"And what if she thinks _I_ fancy _her_?" James' voice was low and agonized.

"Where would she get that idea from, mate?" James shifted guiltily in his chair. "What did you do?" Sirius demanded

"I, er, may have persuaded Seymour to, erm, not ask her out again." Sirius' gaze shifted back to the blond prefect dancing with Marlene. Upon closer examination, he noticed that the prefect was keeping an appropriate distance from the girl and warily glancing at their table.

"You threatened him?" He asked, incredulously.

"She's too young to date," James defended, his voice firm. "They tried it earlier, didn't they? And look how _that_ turned out."

"It was a clean split! And what do you mean too young? You're both the same age!"

"I'm a bloke. She's not, and I don't want anyone taking advantage of her!"

"It's a wonder people already don't think you're her boyfriend, what with you acting that possessive!"

"I do the same thing with Josie!"

"But the entire school knows that you and Josie are practically cousins."

"I know!" James ran a panicked hand through his messy black hair. "It's a nightmare, isn't it?"

"You could make her fancy someone else. She's pretty enough. I'm sure there are loads of lads out there willing to become her boyfriend."

"She's too young to date!" James repeated. "Blokes at our age don't care about the girls they ask out. They just want a good snog. And I won't let that happen! I won't let some random stranger take Marlene's attention and then hurt her."

"Sirius!" An austere-looking, black haired woman appeared in front of them causing the two boys to immediately rise to their feet.

"Madam Black," James welcomed with a polite bow, his voice as calm as he could make it given the circumstances. "I apologize if I've been monopolizing your son's time. I had an urgent problem that required his attention."

"All's well, Mr. Potter," Sirius' mother said stiffly. "Come along, boy. Your father's friend from the ministry has two daughters who would be delighted to meet you."

"Yes, mother." Sirius made a face at James from behind her back, but followed the imperious woman to a crowd of Ministry officials sitting in another corner.

* * *

_January 1976_

"We have a problem," James declared as he entered the dormitory.

"We do," Sirius' quirked an eyebrow, managing to keep a straight face.

"Yes."

"_We_ have a problem?" Sirius reiterated, stressing the plural.

"Prat. All right, _I_ have a problem."

Sirius smirked, satisfied, while his best mate slumped onto his bed, his head in his hands. "Well?"

The mop of unruly black hair moved up to reveal a frightened expression, "I think… I think I might fancy Evans."

Sirius shot up, hitting his forehead on the upper rim of his bed. "Merlin!" He yelped, his hand reaching up to clutch it. "Evans? Perfect, prefect Evans?"

James winced but nodded.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Sirius managed a weak, "_How_?"

James flopped backwards, moaning, "I don't know."

"All right," Sirius said, his mind racing. "All right, this doesn't have to be a problem… How bad is it?"

"Horrible."

Sirius brow rose.

"I can't eat, I can't sleep. She's all I think about. I close my eyes, I see Evans. I play quidditch, it reminds me of Evans. I snog a fourth year Ravenclaw, and all I'm thinking about is Evans!"

"Oh."

"Right."

"_Oh._"

"I know."

"But… you and Marlene?" Sirius began, understanding why James was in such a conundrum.

"Exactly."

"_Shit_!"

"Yeah, pretty much."

There was silence for ten minutes, till:

"That Ravenclaw fourth year?"

James tilted his head to stare at his best mate. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Well?" Sirius was expectant.

"She was a brilliant snog."

Sirius grinned.

* * *

_February 1976_

Sirius stopped at a window to observe his reflection. He was dressed in his school robes, albeit richer versions that what most students wore; his hair fell neatly in place in a way James' would only dream of, and his face was handsome as ever. All in all, Sirius cut an extremely delectable figure. Curving his lips into a smile, Sirius leaned next to the doorway to Professor Flitwick's classroom, his arms crossed casually against his chest. Moments after he'd situated himself, the bell rang, releasing the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff fourth years from the Charm's classroom. Marlene was one of the first out the door.

"Wotcher, Marlene," Sirius called as she walked out chatting amicably with her friends. "A word?"

Her delicate eyebrows rose slightly in surprise, but she agreed, "All right." She left her group of friends and strolled to him, her every step as elegant as a dancer's.

"How was class?" Sirius asked attentively. The small talk that followed relieved all tension from her expression and soon the two were completely at ease with the other.

_Here it goes_, Sirius thought, as he nervously stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants. Even standing awkwardly like that, he still pulled off a charmingly boyish demeanor. "Listen, this weekend's a Hosmeade weekend and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."

Her chocolate eyes widened but she instantly covered up the surprise, smiling. "I'd love to."

"Excellent." The nervous look was replaced entirely by a confident poise. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall on Saturday, then?"

She nodded her approval. Before she was able to walk off, however, Sirius grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips gallantly.

"Can't wait," he murmured, his voice a little rough. She blushed, red, before leaving Sirius with a wide grin on his face. He should go into acting. That was bloody brilliant. The grin slipped a little, though, when he pondered the conversation that would take place that night in the dormitory.

* * *

_Later that day_

"Are you mad at me?" Sirius asked, sitting directly across from James, who was eating a piece of chocolate cake.

He considered it for a moment before saying helplessly, "I don't know."

"How's the cake?" Sirius had ordered the house-elves to make it specially; he knew it was James' favorite dessert.

"It's helping." James licked the last piece off his finger before launching. "Marlene, Sirius? There's at least two hundred other girls at this school. Two hundred! And you had to pick the one who is practically related to me? Marlene!"

"I'm sorry!"

"If you're after brunettes, I know a really nice one in our year. She plays quidditch too, and she's pretty—"

"Not as pretty as Marlene, I bet," Sirius said under his breath.

James glared at the gray-eyed pureblood, but didn't rebuke the statement. "It's like you're dating my sister. It'll be weird for me if you two start..." he turned red and didn't finish the statement.

"It's not like I asked for this to happen."

"How did this happen, Sirius?"

"I can't help that Marlene is the most beautiful girl of fourth, fifth, and sixth year—"

"This better not be only about the looks," James warned, his hand clenched around his wand.

"Of course it's not!" Sirius exclaimed immediately. "Do you remember St. Mungo's Yule Ball this year?"

James shuddered, "I'm really trying not to."

"I tried to explain why your parents might think you and Marlene would make a good couple," Sirius prompted.

"Your logic _did_ make sense," James said fairly.

"Right! And I'm practically you. Think about it. We're best mates. A lot of kids thought we were brothers because we're so alike!"

James frowned. It was really difficult to argue with reason like that. Sirius and James were so similar in looks and personality that anyone one of them was compatible with, the other was bound to be as well.

"And," Sirius was growing excited at James' nonviolent response, "you're biggest worry is that Marlene's boyfriend won't treat her well. But you needn't worry about that, because you know me."

"But, Marlene? I see your side, Sirius, don't think I don't. It's just… do you have any idea how awkward it'll be for me? Especially if it doesn't work out?"

"I really fancy her, Prongs. I'm going to try my hardest to make this happen. And judging be her reaction, I think this is a definite possibility."

"She said yes?" James knew that Marlene had agreed; that wasn't what he was questioning. He wanted to know how she said it.

"Without a hesitation," Sirius grinned. With those words, he knew he would have James' support. James just couldn't say no to the people he loved.

"I hate you."

"I know."

"No, I _really_ hate you."

"I _really _know."

"I want nothing more than to push you off a cliff—"

"I hear Wales has some good ones."

"—tie you up and throw you into the lake—"

"Not sure Dumbledore would be too pleased with that, mate."

"—Maybe feed you to a vampire—"

"Oh, missed your chance for that one. Sluggy had one at his Christmas Party right before break. Awfully interesting chap."

"—Let Moony have his way with you next full moon—"

"Really, are you quite finished? Your threats are getting less and less plausible."

James paused. "You seriously think it'd be easier to get a vampire to kill you than get Moony to do it."

"You'd never put my death on Moony's conscience."

"Fair enough." Suddenly James was serious, his voice dangerously low. "If you hurt her, I will kill you."

"I didn't expect anything less." Sirius looked his best mate directly in the eye, silver-gray meeting hazel. "I won't let anything happen to her."

James gave a satisfied nod, before standing up from Sirius' bed. Sirius matched his movement, pushing his chair back as he stood.

"I have to go to quidditch practice. Up for a game of chess later?" James asked brightly.

"Only if you're ready to lose." Sirius answered with a challenge. James smirked, giving his mate a hard clap on the back as he walked past him.

* * *

_A week later_

"So… you and Marlene?" Remus started randomly, picking at his fingernails.

"Yeah," Sirius said, unsure of where Remus was leading.

"Never knew you fancied her…"

"Yeah, it came as a bit of a shock to me as well." There was something strange in Sirius' voice.

"Convenient that it happened around the same time Prongs realized he fancied Lily, isn't it?"

"Convenient?" Sirius repeated, buying himself time to think. _Remus suspected_…

"Don't play stupid, Padfoot. It's not a good look," the werewolf said sharply. "I know you asked Marlene so James could pursue Lily without feeling guilty."

"That—That's completely—utterly absurd—How could you even suggest it?" Sirius stuttered a little too quickly. The two boys stared for a moment before laughing.

"That has to be _the_ worst denial—" Remus began at the same time Sirius said:

"I haven't lied that badly since I was five. Merlin, that was _weak_."

"So," Remus started again.

"I know. But it's not as if I don't like Marlene, Moony."

"You don't fancy her," Remus said softly.

"So? It's not like I fancy anyone else at the moment."

There was a pause. "Don't get mad, mate, but is it right to lie to James like this. What if he—"

"He's not going to find out about this, Moony," Sirius threatened, his eyes cold.

"I'm not going to tell him!" Remus backtracked quickly. "But do you honestly think you can spend the rest of your life pretending to fancy a girl for James' sake?"

"Yes." Sirius answer was simple and certain. "Listen, James has done so much… He saved me from becoming a pureblood bigot, gave me a group of friends I'd die for, made me happy… and if this is a way to make him happy, then I'll do it. And really, it's a perfect solution. Marlene'll be happy that she's getting a handsome boyfriend. James'll be happy that Marlene's boyfriend will protect her. Even my family'll be happy that I'm courting a girl from a good pureblood family."

"And what about you, Sirius?" Remus' tone was aggressive.

"I'll be happy that James is."

"That's not good enough!"

"Why the hell not?" Sirius' voice was rising. "I know you're worried that I'm getting a bad end of things, but I'm not, all right? Marlene's bloody perfect as far as I need. She's beautiful, charming, brilliant, mischievous, and, more than all that, she doesn't care that James will always be first for me. Who else fills those criteria?"

Remus didn't respond right away. Instead, he held Sirius' gaze with his amber eyes. "You're really his best mate, you know that?"

The pureblood nodded. "He's worth it, Moony."

"Yeah." The werewolf's lips turned up into a small smile as he fingered the small scar on his palm caused by the sharp prong of an antler. "He is."

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**FIN**

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Reviews would be much appreciated!

The Third Maruder


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